TAS Part I4 Food premises

The objective of this Part is to facilitate the safe manufacture, preparation, storage and packing of food for sale for human consumption.

Each building or part of a building constructed as a food premise must be able to be used in such a manner that minimises opportunities for food contamination.

(1) TAS I4P2 to TAS I4P13 applies to any premises where food intended for human consumption is manufactured, processed, prepared, packed, stored or sold and to which the following apply—

1. Food Act 2003; or
2. Liquor Licensing Act 1990; or
3. Primary Produce Safety Act 2011; or
4. Dairy Industry Act 1994.

(2) TAS I4P2 to TAS I4P13 includes, but is not limited to—

1. bakehouses; and
2. bar service areas; and
3. premises for boning, curing, canning, pre-packing or other similar processes of preparation of meat for sale; and
4. retail meat premises; and
5. eating houses and tea shops; and
6. fish shops; and
7. kitchens in eating houses, restaurants, guest houses, motels and hotels; and
8. rooms for processing, manufacturing, packing, etc. of fruit and vegetables, dairy products, ice blocks, ices, meat-for-sale, or other fish; and
9. primary produce business premises regulated by or under a Food Safety Scheme made under the Primary Produce Safety Act; and
10. take-away-food stores; and
11. breweries and wineries.

(3) In TAS I4P2 to TAS I4P13, words and meanings as defined in the Food Act 2003, Food Standards Code and Liquor Licensing Act 1990, Dairy Industry Act 1994 and Primary Produce Safety Act 2011 apply.

(4) TAS I4P2 to TAS I4P13 do not apply to—

1. domestic dwellings classified as Class 1 buildings; or
2. boarding houses or the like classified as Class 1 buildings; or
3. tents, buildings or other structures used temporarily for serving meats to the public at any fair, show, race meeting or other public sports, games or amusements; or
4. meat premises covered by TAS Part I6; or
5. dairies covered by TAS Part I7; or
6. live shellfish premises where live shellfish are being packed or handled for transport or transferral to shellfish processing premises; or
7. premises that only sell pre-packaged food that is not potentially hazardous.

The design and construction of food premises must—

1. be appropriate for the activities for which the premises are used; and
2. provide adequate space for the activities to be conducted on the food premises and for the fixtures, fittings and equipment used for those activities; and
3. permit the food premises to be effectively cleaned and, if necessary, sanitised; and
4. to the extent that is practicable—
   1. exclude dirt, dust, odours, fumes, smoke and other contaminants; and
   2. not permit the entry of pests; and
   3. not provide harbourage for pests; and
5. provide that the food premises is able to be used in such a manner that minimises opportunities for food contamination.

(1) Food premises must have an adequate supply of water if water is to be used at the food premises for any of the activities conducted on the food premises.

(2) A food premises must use potable water for all activities that use water that are conducted on the food premises.

Food premises must have a sewage and waste water disposal system that—

1. will effectively dispose of all sewage and waste water; and
2. is constructed and located so that there is no likelihood of the sewage and waste water polluting the water supply or contaminating food.

Food premises must have facilities for the storage of garbage and recyclable matter that—

1. adequately contain the volume and type of garbage and recyclable matter on the food premises; and
2. enclose the garbage or recyclable matter, if this is necessary to keep pests and animals away from it; and
3. are designed and constructed so that they may be effectively cleaned.

Food premises must have sufficient natural or mechanical ventilation to remove fumes, smoke and vapours from the food premises.

Food premises must have lighting systems that provide sufficient natural or artificial light for the activities conducted on the food premises.

(1) Floors must be designed and constructed in a way that is appropriate for the activities conducted on the food premises.

(2) Floors must—

1. be able to be effectively cleaned; and
2. be unable to absorb grease, food particles or water; and
3. be laid so that there is no ponding of water; and
4. to the extent that is practicable, be unable to provide harbourage for pests.

Walls and ceilings—

1. must be designed and constructed in a way that is appropriate for the activities conducted on the food premises; and
2. must be provided where they are necessary to protect food from contamination; and
3. provided in accordance with (b) must be—
   1. sealed to prevent the entry of dirt, dust and pests; and
   2. unable to absorb grease, food particles or water; and
   3. able to be easily and effectively cleaned; and
4. must—
   1. be able to be effectively cleaned; and
   2. to the extent that is practicable, be unable to provide harbourage for pests.

(1) Food premises must have hand washing facilities that are located where they can be easily accessed by food handlers—

1. within areas where food handlers work if their hands are likely to be a source of contamination of food; and
2. if there are toilets on the food premises — immediately adjacent to the toilets or toilet cubicles.

(2) Hand washing facilities must be—

1. permanent fixtures; and
2. provided with a supply of warm running potable water; and
3. of a size that allows easy and effective hand washing; and
4. clearly designated for the sole purpose of washing hands, arms and face.

Fixtures, fittings and equipment must—

1. be adequate for the production of wholesome food; and
2. be fit for their intended use; and
3. be designed, constructed, located and installed, and equipment must be located and, if necessary, installed, so that—
   1. there is no likelihood that they will cause food contamination; and
   2. they are able to be easily and effectively cleaned; and
   3. adjacent floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces are able to be easily and effectively cleaned; and
   4. to the extent that is practicable, they do not provide harbourage for pests; and
4. have food contact surfaces—
   1. able to be easily and effectively cleaned and, if necessary, sanitised if there is a likelihood that they will cause food contamination; and
   2. unable to absorb grease, food particles and water if there is a likelihood that they will cause food contamination; and
   3. made of a material that will not contaminate food.

Food premises must have adequate storage facilities—

1. for the storage of items that are likely to be the source of contamination of food, including chemicals, clothing and personal belongings; and
2. located where there is no likelihood of stored items contaminating food or food contact surfaces.

All refrigerated and cooling chambers must be constructed so that the stored products will not be contaminated.

(1) This Part applies to any premises where food intended for human consumption is manufactured, processed or sold and to which the following apply—

1. Food Act 2003; or
2. Liquor Licensing Act 1990; or
3. Primary Produce Safety Act 2011; or
4. Dairy Industry Act 1994.

(2) This Part includes, but is not limited to—

1. bakehouses; and
2. bar service areas; and
3. premises for boning, curing, canning, mincing, pre-packing or other similar processes of preparation of meat for sale; and
4. retail meat premises; and
5. eating houses and tea shops; and
6. fish shops; and
7. kitchens in eating houses, restaurants, guest-houses, motels and hotels; and
8. rooms for processing, manufacturing, packing, etc. of fruit and vegetables, dairy products, ice blocks, ices, meat-for-sale or other fish; and
9. primary produce business premises regulated by or under a Food Safety Scheme made under the Primary Produce Safety Act 2011; and
10. take-away-food stores; and
11. breweries and wineries.

(3) This Part does not apply to—

1. boarding houses or the like classified as Class 1 buildings; or
2. tents, buildings or other structures used temporarily for serving meals to the public at any fair, show, race meeting or other public sports, games or amusements; or
3. dairies covered by TAS Part I7; or
4. live shellfish premises where live shellfish are being packed or handled for transport or transferral to shellfish processing premises; or
5. premises that only sell pre-packaged food that is not potentially hazardous.

(4) In this Part, words and meanings as defined in the Food Act 2003, Food Standards Code and Liquor Licensing Act 1990, Dairy Industry Act 1994 and Primary Produce Safety Act 2011 apply.

Performance RequirementsTAS I4P1 to TAS I4P13 are satisfied by complying with the relevant provisions of TAS I4D3 to TAS I4D18.

(1) The provision of—

1. close-fitting windows and doors; and
2. air intakes that do not draw in contaminated air; and
3. air locks and self-closing doors to separate toilet areas, laundries and living areas from food handling areas; and
4. mechanical ventilation that removes sources of contamination,

satisfies TAS I4P2(d)(i).

(2) The provision of—

1. self-closing or pest-screened external doors; and
2. mesh screens at opening windows or other ventilation openings; and
3. sealing to drains, grease traps and ventilation pipes; and
4. sealing to openings where pipes pass through external walls; and
5. the installation of pest-proof flashings to doors,

satisfies TAS I4P2(d)(ii).

(3) The provision of—

1. vermin-proof sealing; or
2. filling; or
3. access for inspection and cleaning of boxed-in areas,

satisfies TAS I4P2(d)(iii).

(4) The provision of a reticulated water supply from—

1. a regulated entity; or
2. a private water supply with on-site treatment,

which meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, satisfies TAS I4P3(2).

Premises where customers are served outside the premises through an opening, that has an appliance for the elimination of flies and mechanical ventilation adequate to exhaust air through the opening at a rate of not less than 5 litres per second for each square metre of opening, satisfies TAS I4P2(d).

Premises satisfy TAS I4P4 where—

1. a grease trap, an overflow (relief) gully or an untrapped opening connected directly with a drain or sewer, is not installed in a room used for preparation, processing, packing or storing of food for sale; and
2. as far as is practicable, service pipes are concealed beneath the surface of walls, floors or ceilings, or are fixed clear of the wall, floor or ceiling, at such distance as to facilitate cleaning.

Where offensive material or trade waste is stored, a separate area or room which—

1. is paved and easily cleanable; and
2. is graded to drain to a suitable drainage system; and
3. has available a supply of water under pressure,

satisfies TAS I4P5.

A mechanical ventilating exhaust system complying with the requirements of AS/NZS 1668.1 and AS 1668.2 satisfies TAS I4P6.

A lighting system that—

1. complies with AS 1680.1 and AS/NZS 1680.2.4; and
2. in areas where open food is handled or stored, has light fittings which are—
   1. designed and constructed to prevent the contamination of food should the globe or tube shatter; and
   2. free from any features that would harbour dirt, dust or insects or make the fitting difficult to clean,

satisfies TAS I4P7.

(1) Floors, walls and ceilings constructed in accordance with Section 3 of AS 4674, satisfy TAS I4P8 and TAS I4P9.

(2) The wall and ceiling provisions of (1) do not apply to areas in which all food for sale is completely enclosed and otherwise protected from contamination by processing plants, other appliances or other means.

(1) A room where food for sale is processed, manufactured, prepared, deposited, treated, stored or packed, that does not have direct communication with a room containing sanitary facilities, living quarters, laundry, bathroom or garage or a room where animals are housed, satisfies TAS I4P9(b).

(2) ‘Direct communication’ means a doorway, a window or other opening in a wall between a food preparation or storage area opening directly on to a room described in (1).

(3) Access between the areas referred to in (2) via another room, a hallway, or an airlock, satisfies TAS I4P9(b).

(1) Premises or places for preparation or storage of food for sale provided with not less than one washbasin complying with (2) within five metres of any activities where hands are likely to be a source of contamination of food, satisfies TAS I4P10.

(2) Each washbasin must—

1. have hot and cold water through a common outlet; and
2. have a capacity of at least 11 litres; and
3. provide not less than 250 mm between the spout and the bottom of the basin; and
4. be in a position that is not obstructed.

(1) Where equipment and utensils are required to be manually cleaned and sanitised, or food preparation requires a sink, premises that are provided with a suitably sized double bowl sink for equipment washing and a separate suitably sized sink for food preparation of stainless steel supplied with—

1. hot and cold water; and
2. in integral drainer on at least one side or a third bowl,

satisfies TAS I4P11.

(2) A sink installed adjacent to a wall or other vertical surface, that is fitted with an integral flashing to that wall or vertical surface to a height of not less than 150 mm, satisfies TAS I4P11.

(3) A sink provided with an integral surround not less than 150 mm wide except on sides with an integral flashing as in (2), satisfies TAS I4P11.

(4) A cleaner’s sink separated from food storage and handling areas provided for the emptying of cleaning water, satisfies TAS I4P11.

(1) The provision of fixtures, fittings and equipment designed, constructed and installed in accordance with clause 4.2 and clause 4.3 of AS 4674 satisfies TAS I4P11.

(2) The provision of—

1. automatic equipment that uses water to sanitise utensils or other equipment and only operate for the purposes of sanitation when the water is at a temperature that will sanitise the utensils or equipment; or
2. a sink that meets TAS I4D12,

satisfies TAS I4P11.

(1) Separate areas for the storage of fuel, cleaning compounds and general maintenance equipment provided so as to prevent contamination of the product in the event of a spillage of any other form of breakdown, satisfies TAS I4P12.

(2) A separate area for the storage of staff clothing and personal effects, satisfies TAS I4P12.

An eating house provided with a dry-food store, satisfies TAS I4P12.

Premises used for the preparation or sale of red meat, other than those licensed under the Primary Produce Safety Act 2011, that comply with—

1. TAS Part I6; or
2. the provisions of TAS I4D3 to TAS I4D14 and I4D18, satisfy in relation to building construction, the requirements of TAS I4P2 to TAS I4P13.

Definition:

1. Dairy produce products include milk, colostrum, liquid milk products, cream and thickened cream, butter, butter concentrate, buttermilk, concentrated buttermilk, dairy blend, ghee, anhydrous milk fat (butter oil), casein, caseinate, cheese, whey, whey cream, concentrated whey cream, cultured milk, yoghurt, ice cream, ice cream mix, buttermilk powder, lactose powder, milk sugar, powdered milk, skim milk powder, whey powder, milk protein powder and other milk concentrates.
2. Premises designed and constructed in compliance with the Export Control (Milk and Dairy) Orders, satisfy the special requirements of this code for premises to be used for the manufacture of dairy produce.

The construction of a refrigerated chamber or cooling chamber installed in premises for storage of food complying with the requirements for that premises, satisfies TAS I4P13 where they have—

1. internal and external panels adhered directly to the insulated core material to form an integral wall section with tight fitting edges resistant to penetration by liquids; and
2. every joint caulked with a water-resistant, flexible sealer and finished in such a manner as to prevent migration of liquids into the core; and
3. every intersection of walls with floors and walls with walls coved with a radius not less than 25 mm; and
4. exposed slot-head screws or open-headed pop rivets filled with sealer; and
5. service pipes and conduits concealed in floors, walls or ceilings, if practicable, or fixed on brackets to provide clearances of not less than 25 mm between the pipe and a wall and 100 mm between the pipe and a floor; and
6. fittings not fixed over exposed pipes nor in a position to make difficult the cleaning of the pipe and surrounding area; and
7. rat proof construction, and any inaccessible spaces between the low temperature room and surrounding walls, ceilings and fixtures proof against rats an vermin; and
8. floor graded, as shown in Table TAS I4D18a, to drains located outside the chamber as near as practicable to the door opening; and
9. drainage from cooling units within the chamber constructed in accordance with Table TAS I4D18b, draining to a trapped outlet located outside the chamber.